Filtering method and means



Aug. 5, 1930. J. J. NAUGLE FILTERING METHOD AND MEANS Original Filed March 5l. 1920 nl 1 Y 5 l K 2 Sheets-Sheet. l

Aug. 5, 1930. J. J. NAUGLE 1,772,262

FILTERING METHOD AND MEANS Original Filed March 31. 1920 2 Sheets-Shea?l 2 l Patented Aug. 5, 1936 PATENT OFFICE JOHN J. NAUGLE, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK FILTEBING METHOD AND MEANS Application led March 31, 1920, Serial No. 370,114. Renewed July 23, 1926.

My invention relates to filtering means and aims to provide improved apparatus for, and

methods of, filtering whereby the ease, ei-

ciency and rapidity of the filtering operation are much increased, and the operation and construction of the filtering apparatus rendered much more simple, expedient and eco-V thereof herein shown anddescribed ,by way of example merely.

4 Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section, partly in elevation, of said embodiment of the apparatus; A

Figure 2 is a rear elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a cross-section of the same taken along line 3`3 of Figure 1; 'l5 Figure lis a side elevation, on an enlarged scale, and

Figure 5 is a cross-section, on an enlarged scale, of certain filter-medium supportmg 'means that may be employed in one form of the invention;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of the front or extrusion end of the apparatus shown in Figure 1;

Figure 7 is a side elevation of a modified form of filter-medium supporting means.

Referring more particularly to the device shown in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, of the drawing, the embodiment of filtering apparatus here illustrated comprises suitably arranged ilter-medium supporting means consisting, preferably, of a plurality of spaced, separable members denlng one or more filtrate passages between them.

I prefer to construct and arrange these {ilter-medium supportin units or members, designated in the drawing by reference character l0, so that the same shall be readily adjustable for reasons hereinafter set forth.'

The members 10, which are referrpd to in F is not limite to the foregoing embodiments.

the specification and claims as being spaced, are, to the eye, apparently in contact throughout their opposed faces, the spacing between these members being due largely to their uneven surfaces, such unevenness generally existing even where the surfaces are t0 the eye substantially plane or flat, the spaces being of an order corresponding to capillary dimensions. N l

The members 1() are preferably in the form of Hat rings or annuli positioned within the container 11 which is preferably of substantially cylindrical form. The container is rovided on its inner face with af series o in-' tegral, or otherwise suitably attached, longitudinal ridges or bars 12, so proportioned that the ring-shaped members 10 will fit snugly withinthe rid es 12, and thereby be retained and propery positioned `by'f the same.

Means are provided for adjusting the position of the members 10 with res ect to each other to thereby adjust th'e'size of the filtrate passages, such passages being designated by reference character 13. The purpose of this adjustment is to control the size of the apertures of the filter-medium supporting means, said supporting means comprising the series of members 10 and being generally designated by reference character 14.

For the purpose of so adjusting the size of the filtrate passages 13, I'provide one end, preferably the rear end 15, of the container 11, with an adjustable head 16. 'The head 16 is provided with a flange 17, the outer face of which is screw-threaded to co-operate with the thread 18 on the innerface of the container 11 at the rear end thereof. The flange 17 of head 16 is provided with a transverse or inturned fiange 17 which is so proportioned and designed as to bear against the rearmost of the members 10, the foremost member 10 bearing against the front head 19,which lwill be described in greater detail hereinafter.

By screwing the rear head 16 a greater or less distance into lthe container, the series of annular members 10 will be more or less compressed, as t-he case may be, to thereby decrease or increase the sizes of the filtrate passages 13. By thus regulating and adjusting the sizes of the filtrate passages, the filtering apparatusacomprising the herein-described embodiment of my invention may be regulated and adjusted to filter liquids containing suspended solids of widely varying degrees of fineness.. This regulation of the sizes of the filtrate passages serves further to control the speed or rapidity of the filtering operation, and acts further to regulate the degree of fineness of the filtering operation. e

It will be noted that by means of the arrangement of members 1() here shown, I have provided a substantially tubular filterme dium supporting unit which contains a plurality of elongated filtrate passages, in the present instanceof substantially annular configuration. It is to be noted, however, that members 10 and consequently the filtrate passages 13, may be of varying configuration, such as linear, elliptical, or of other desired form, and of varying number and thickness:

I provide means, preferably continuouslyoperating means, for removing the solids deposited "or separated out during the filtering operation. Preferably such means comprise a continually-rotating screw-shaped cutter 20, provided with a spiral cutting edge 21 carried thereby. The cutter 20 may be rotated at any suitable speed by means of a shaft 22 rigidly attached to the cutter and passing through a journal bearing 23 suitably formed in the rear head 16. The shaft 22 is also supported in a journal bearing 24 suitably formed in the enclosure 25, a

c gland duct 26 being provided in c0-operati n with the bearing 24 for the purpose of rendering the shaft connection liquid-tight. At its outer end the shaft 22 carries a worm gear 27 rigidly attached thereto, as by being keyed to the shaft. The worm gear 27 is driven by a worm 28 supported on` a shaft 29 carried by a standard 30. The shaft 29 and the worm 28 carried thereby are driven by a belt 31 and a pulley 32 operated from any suitable source of power, not here shown.

I prefer to arrange the cutting thread `21 of the cutter 20 so that the distances be# tween the successive spiral portions of the cutter increase from the rear end 16 to the forward end 19 of the device. Preferably this is done by making' the spiral cutter 21 of increasing pitch from the rear to the front end of the apparatus. The purpose .of thus.

increasing the ypitch of the spiral cutter 21 from the rear-to the front end of the device is to prevent packing or jamming of the deposited solids as they collect and are removed and as they are thus being continually advanced by -thespiral memberfrom the rear to the forward end of the device.

j I provide suitable liq fd extraction orpex- 'pression means, ,preferably positioned at the forwardend Aofthe. device,as by being located in a hollow extension 33 formed on the front end plate 19. Preferably the liquid extraction device comprisesa conical member 34 which may be integral with the member 20. The member 34 is provided with a spiral blade 35 which is so constructed and designed as to advance, and at the same time subject to continually increasing pressure, the portions of the Aremoved deposited solids which are fed into the extraction device by the removal means 20. For the purpose of subjecting the solids in the extraction means, generally designated by reference character 36, to a continually increasing compression force, I prefer to space the successive portions of the spiral blade 35 so that the distances between such portions constantly diminish towards the solids-outlet end 37 of the device. Preferably, I do this by arranging the spiral blade 35 so as to be of continually diminishing pitch from its inner to its outer end.

Vithin the member 36 I arrange a conical closure member 38 somewhat in the nature of a valve. The member 38 is adj ustably mounted on a threaded sleeve 39. By means of a hand wheel 41 attached to the corneal member 38 the position of the conical member 38 along the sleeve 39 and consequently within the solids outlet passage 40 may be regulated, so asy to maintain said passage 40 entirely closed at the beginning of the operation to prevent the liquid from flowing out of the device. After sufiicient solids accumulate within the extraction device the member 38 may be moved to slightly open the passage 40 1,

to permit the solids to leave the extraction device 34. At this stage of the operation slibstantially no liquid will flow out of the device since the spiral passage is full of solids.

The threaded sleeve 39 is rigidly supported the closure 25, said closure and also the front i end closure 19 being readily attached in a water-tight manner to the container 11 by means of nuts and bolts or other suitable means passing through` flanges 11 provided at the ends of the container 11. For this purpose the rear closure 2M5 is provided with a flange 25 co-operating with one of the flanges 11, already described.

The closure 25 is so arranged as to provide an inlet chamber 45 for the admission of the fluid to be filtered, said fluid passing into said chamber 45 throughgthe fluid inlet pipe 46. The fiuid to be filtered passes from the charnber 45 through apertures 46 in the rear end plate 16 and thus into the space 47 between the removal means 2O and the inner surfaces of the members 10; After passing through the layer of deposited solids, which accumulates and is built up on the inner face of the filter-medium supporting means, the filtered liquid passes through the filtrate passages 13,

thence through the transverse passages 13 provided in the bars 13, into thel substantially annular fluid chamber 48'between the inner surface of the container 11``and the outer faces of the members 10, and from there into the fiuid outlet passage 49. This passage is preferablyprovided substantially in the middle and adjacent the bottom of the container 11.

The operation of the apparatus set forth above in the practice of one form of the proccss of my invention, may be substantially as follows, it being noted, however, that various embodiments of the process may be carried out successfully in the embodiment of the apparatus described above I lVth a given liquid to filter, such as saccharine juices, for example juices extracted from sugar cane, it is firstl desirable to determinel what the nature and dimensions of the filter medium to be employed should be for the most successful operation. In filtering such liquids as sugar juices, for example, the filtering medium may and, preferably, does f comprise a foreign substance in subdivided or powdered form added to the juices, such as a bleach, as for example, bone charcoal. In

' certain other cases the solids present in the cutting member 21.

liquid to be filtered may, by themselves, furnish suitable filter media. This is the case with such liquids as suspensions of precipitated chalk and the like. In still other cases, while the solids suspended in the liquids te be filtered may comprise more or less suitable filter media, such media may be considerably.y

improved bv the addition of foreign substances in subdivided or powdered form, such as kieselguhr, fullers earth, and the like.

In the embodiment of the process of my invention here described for purposes of illust-ration only, I aim to build upa filter medium of predetermined thickness and porosity out of the solids, whether originally present or subsequently added, suspended in the liquid to be filtered. For this purpose the members 10 and the clutter 21 are so proportioned as to leave a space, designated by reference character S, between the inner faces of the members 10 and the outer edge of the It is the size of this space which will, in a given case, determine the thickness and porosity of the layer of filter medium built up out of the solids suspended in the liquid being filtered. f

Having chosen a space S of suitable size byfselecting members 10 or the cutter Q0, or both, of proper dimensions, the degree of compression to which the members 1()y are to be subjected is now determined and the rear closure 16 adjusted for this purpose. As already stated, while the members 10 appear to be in contact, even in close contact, with each other as viewed by the naked eye, they are, however., in a certain sense, spaced from each other byv reason of the inherent controlled by cont-rolling the pressure under y which the fluid to be filtered is admittedto the filtering apparatus. The regulation of the size of the filtrate passages serves further to control the fineness of the particles which are removed from the fluid to be filtered, and controls also the density and, consequently, t-he porosity of the layer o-f filter medium formed within the members 10 from the solids suspended in the fluid. The adjustment of the size of the filtrate passages 13 also controls the pressure under which the fiuid passes through the filtering apparatus, and this adjustment may also be made to-serve to adapt the apparatus for the more successful filtering of liquids of peculiar character, such as liquids containing slimes, clays, chalks, gelatinous and albuminous materials, etc.

In starting the filtering operation, the cutting and extraction devices are put into rotation by means of the worm and worm gear mechanism, and a. suitable valve, not 'here shown, is opened to admit the fluid to be filtered through the fluid `inlet pipe 46. This fluid passes into the chamber 45 and from there through the passages/f6 into the Aspace between the removal means 20 and the inner faces of the members 10.

During this initial filtering operation, a layer of filter medium is built up out of the solids suspended in the'fluid being filtered, although it is to be understood that, if so desired, the filter medium may be derived and prepared from a great variety of sources and may be applied to the inner face of the members 10 before any fluid is passed into the filtering apparatus. For example, I may provide strips of a filtering medium,- such as cotton or other suitable cloth, designated by reference character .50', arranged, as shown more clearly in Figure 5 of the' drawing, aobut the inner faces of the membe'rs'l() and between the opposed faces-'of said members in the filtrate passages. 13. `The .cloth or other filter medium 50 will-,be securely positioned by being retained between the opposed faces of members 10. y

In other cases, I mayprovide a composite filter medium of clothyor lof a layer-of another solid deposited from its suspension ,in another liquid than the particular liquid-to be filtered, or of any combination-of such alter media, and, a layer-Qt the" Salies.: de

l the posited from the particular liquid to be filtered. Where a filter medium consist-ing of a layer of solids deposited from their suspensions in a liquid other than the liquid to be filtered is employed, I pass such other liquid initially through the apparatus to build up the layer of filtering medium before the particular liquid to be filtered is passed through the device.

As the filtering medium continues to be built up, it ultimately fills the space S until it comes into contact with the rotating cutting edge of the cutter 21. After this all of the deposited solids in excess of that filling the space S Will be removed by the removal means 20, and will pass into the extraction device 33. Since, during the building up of the filter medium, the filtering operation will not be completel performed, I prefer to return the fluid initially passing out of the device through the outlet 49 back to the original supply of liquid for refiltering the same,-

after the layer of filter medium has been built up.

After the layer of filter medium has been built up, as above set forth, the liquid to be filtered will pass through said layer before reachino the filtrate passages 13. After the layer of? filter medium has been built up the filter-medium support-ing` members may be -more Widely separated to enable the filtrate to pass more readily out of the device after having traversed the filtering medium. vIt will be noted that, as already indicated, the layer of filter medium will be maintained at a substantially constant thickness and porosity bv means of the removal means 20, so that filtering operation is, in this Way, rendered accurate, uniform and continuous. The thickness of the la-yer of filter medium vfill be predetermined by the size of the space S, and the filter medium, when built up, Will be in thec form -of a substantially cylindrical, porous member of predetermined porosity and thickness;

As already stated, the cutting blade 21 is so arranged and proportioned in its supporting member 20, thatthere will be little or nodanger of packing or jamming the portions of solids as they are successively removed. These portions comprise the solids last deposited and will, therefore, be in a crrlidition which renders them readily remova e.

The removal means 20 serves also to feed the successive portions of removed solids into the extractiondevice 36. The blade 35 of the extraction -device is preferably not a cutting blade, and fits rather snugly within i the conical container 33. As already stated, the compression blade 35 is so proportioned and arranged as to submit the solids passing into the'extraction device 33 to a continually. increasing extraction pressure. The' liquid thus extracted flows backwards bet-'iveen the successive portions of-the blade of the spiral 35 and ultimately through the filter medium here designated by reference character 50, through the filtrate passages 13, into space 4S, and out through the fluid outlet 49. The solid material, novv substantially free from liquid, passes out through the forward end of the extraction device 33 in the form of a spiral thread or Worm over the conical member 30, up against the guard plate 41, and may be collected and stored in any suitable manner.

Once the filter medium has been built up, the liquid being filtered passes, after being freed from its suspended solids,"through the filter medium 50 into the filtrate passages 13, space 48, and out by the fluid outlet 49, from which it can be led to any suitable reservoir, or discharged as Waste.

As specific examples of fiuids Which may l be filtered With great success according to the method and in the apparatus described above, I may, among others, refer to sugar juices, to Which a bleach such as bone charcoal has been added, to serve not only.to ,f

bleach the juices, but also as a filter medium in accordance'vvith my invention; various vegetable and animal oils to which kieselguhr or fullers earth has been added to serve not merely as a clarifying and deodorizing agent, but' also as a filter aid or medium inI accordance With my invention; suspensions of clays,y chalks, and similar Minsoluble or precipated materials, in which case the maferial itself forms a filter medium according to my invention, and in which case, also,y

the device acts rather as a de-hydrator than as a filter, since it is in this case a solid, rather than a liquid, component which is sought to be recovered. y I may also, in certain cases, pass a reagent through the device -ments of the same herein shown and described bv Way of illustration only, are numerous and of great practical importance. By reason of this construction, the device is very strong and can be operated under very great pressures, with a consequent material `gain in rapidity of the filtering operation. By reason, also, of its construction, the device may be very simply and-economically manufactured, and will be rugged and lasting toa very high degree.

Since the sizes of the filtrate passages can be regulated, a single filtering apparatus may, in accordance with my invention, be employed for filtering a Wide variety of liq- Since the lter medium `uds and for the recovery of a Wide variety of 'suspended solids.

may be built up out of the solids suspended through the inlet pipe 46.

in the liquid being filtered, and since a large variety of solids may be initially added to the liquid for various purposes, I may, under certain conditions, carry out one or more operations simultaneously With, and in addition to, the vfiltering operation, as by adding a bleach, clarifier, or deodorizer, to the liquid to be filtered, said addition agents serving either by themselves or in cooperation with the solids originally present in the liquid as the filter media in accordance With my invention. Y

By reason of the construction of the fore-l going embodiment of the apparatus of my invention, such apparatus may be readily assembled and may be as readily disassembled, for cleaning, or for repairs.

By means of the extraction means shown in connection with the foregoing embodiment of the apparatus of my invention, I am enabled to recover the separated solids in a substantially liquid-free condition, all in a single, continuous operation.

In order to clean the apparatus, I may loosen the members 10, by unscrewing the end platexl, and thereafter pass a cleaning fluid in a reverse direction through the device, admitting such fiuid through the outlet pipe 49 and permitting it to fioW out of the device In Figure 7 I have shown a series of filter members which are integral or continuous in the form of a spring spiral. The crosssection of each member 10'is rectangular, as shown in the drawing, and the space between successive members, such space forming a continuous spiral space, is indicated by re erence character 13. The area of the opening 13 may be regulated as for the filter members previously described.

It is of course to be understood that Vmy invention is not limited to the particular uses and embodiments thereof herein shown and described for purpose of illustration only.

What I claim is 1. In a filtering apparatus, a plurality of annular filter-medium supporting units, a container, ridges Within the container adapted to support each unit parallel With the other units and spaced from the Wall of the container.

2. In a filtering apparatus, a plurality of 'annular filter-medium supporting units, a

container, ridges Within'the container to independently support each individual unit parallel With the other units and spaced from the Wall of the container, and means to adj'ust the position of the units relative to each other.

3. In a filtering apparatus, a plurality of annular filter-medium supporting units,` and means engaging the circumferential Wall of each unit to support said unit independently of but parallel with the other units.

4. In a filtering apparatus, a plurality of annular filter-medium. supporting units, means engaging the circumferential Wall of each unit to support said unit independently of but parallel With the other units, and means to adjust the position of the units relative to each other.

5. In a filtering apparatus, a plurality of annular filter-medium supporting units, and means engaging the circumferential `Wall of eachunit Within but spaced from the Wall of the container.

6. In a filtering apparatus, a plurality of annular filter-medium supporting units, a

container and ridges Within the container adapted to engage the circumferential Wall i of each unit for supporting said unit Within but spaced from the Wall of the container.

7. In a filtering apparatus, a pluralityof annular filter-mediuln supporting units, .a container, meansengaging the circumferential Wall of each unit to support said unit spaced from the Wall of the container and in- 10. In a filtering apparatus, solids-supporting means comprising a substantially tubular member provided with a plurality of adjustable filtrate passages, and means for removing successive port-ions of the layer of deposited solids to thereby maintain said layere at a substantially constant thickness.

11. dIn a filtering apparatus,solids-supporting means comprising a substantially tubular member provided with a plurality of adjustable, substantially annular filtrate passages,

and means for removing successive poi/*tions of the layer ofdeposited solids to thereby maintain said layer at a substantially constant thickness.

12. In a filtering apparatus, a substantially tubular member provided with a plurality of substantially annular filtrate passages, and means for removing successive portions of the layer of deposited solids to thereby maintain said layer at a substantially constant' thickness.

13. In a filtering apparatus, a substantially .tubular member provided with a plurality of substantially annular filtrate passages, means for adjustably compressing said member to thereby vary the effective size of said passages and means for removing successive portions of the layer of deposited solids to thereby maintain said layer at a substantially constant thickness.

14. In a filtering apparatus, a substantially tubular member provided With a plurality of substantially annular filtrate passages,

means for varying the effective sizes of said passages, and means for removing successive portions of the layer of deposited solids to thereby maintain said layer at a substantially constant-thickness. c

15. A filtering apparatus comprising a plurality of spaced members defining a filtrate passage between t-hem, in combination With means associated with said members for adjusting the position of the same With respect 'to each other to thereby adjust the size of said passage, means for removing successive portions of the layer of deposited solids to thereby maintain said layer at a substantially constant thickness, and means for treating the removed portionsof the deposited 'solids yto extract a part at least of the liquid content of the same.

' 16. A filtering apparatus com rising a plurality of spaced, separable mem ers defining a filtrate passage between them, in combination with means associated With said members for adjusting the position of the same with respect to each other to thereby adjust thesize of said passage, means for removing Successive portions of the layer of deposited solids to thereby maintain said layer at a substantiallyrconstant thickness, and

means for extracting from the removed portions of the deposited solids a part at least of the liquid content of the same.

17. A filtering apparatus comprising a plurality of opposed, substantially annular members providing a substantially annular filtrate passage between them, in combination with means associated with said members for adjusting the `position of the same with respect to each other to thereby adjust the size of the said passage, means for removing successive portions of the layer of deposited solids to thereby maintain said layer at a substantially constant thickness, and means for treating the removed portions of the deposited'solids to extract a part at least of the liquid content of the same. F

18. A filtering apparatus comprising a plun rality of opposed, substantially annular, separable members providing a substantially anthe deposited solids a part at least of' the liquid content of the same.

In testimony whereof, ll have signed my name to this specification this 24th day of March, 1920.

JOHN J. NAUGLE.

lll) 

